Scientists have discovered 87-million-year-old space dust in the White Cliffs of Dover in the U.K., according to research published early September in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters.

Researchers from Imperial College London in the U.K. found 76 particles of fossilized cosmic dust embedded in the limestone, which could shed light on the early days of the solar system and help them understand events such as major collisions between asteroids. The dust, called micrometeorites, remained undiscovered in the White Cliffs for so long because its mineral content had been altered during the fossilization process.

"The iconic white cliffs of Dover are an important source of fossilized creatures that help us to determine the changes and upheavals the planet has undergone many millions of years ago," the study's lead researcher, Martin Suttle, said in a statement.

"It is so exciting because we've now discovered that fossilized space dust is entombed alongside these creatures, which can also provide us with information about what was happening in our solar system at the time."

The researchers also discovered a way to determine if cosmic dust was clay rich.